This is a huge pain point—validating this problem is definitely not the hard part! I’ve been tackling the exact same "Spreadsheet Tetris" nightmare with TimeClout ( https://timeclout.com ).

We actually just open-sourced our solution because we realized that while the scheduling interface needs to be simple, the optimization logic (fairness, constraints, sales matching) is where the real complexity lives. Since you're building something similar, you might find our approach interesting—we use a constraint satisfaction AI solver to handle the heavy lifting.

We’re currently looking for beta testers to stress-test the scheduler in real-world hospitality scenarios. Since you're deep in this space, I'd love to hear your take on our approach vs. what you're building.

Best of luck with your tool—the market definitely needs more than just "digital spreadsheets."

It is a valid problem but hell it is a very attacked problem. There are thousands of staff scheduling solutions. I think "does the software work for your industry" > the algorithm used. E.g. if the vendor is proven to work for fire-fighters rosters then it is low risk for another station or brigade to adopt. It is other features like HR and payroll integration, access control, working time regulations and law, attendance recording etc. that will make a big difference.